Dying dad's final wish for son's killer to be spared jail is granted

Anthony Smith

A dying father's final wish for his son's killer to be spared jail, has been granted after he said: "We all make mistakes". Ray Pentney died just hours before road worker Anthony Smith, 48, was due in court on Tuesday, charged with causing the death of Dale Pentney, 20, in an accident in January 2015.


Smith, of Porthcawl, south Wales, failed to apply the handbrake in the lorry he was operating before it crushed his colleague Dale as they carried out barrier repair works on the A21 in Sevenoaks, Kent.
Appearing at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court this week, the 48-year-old admitted causing his death by driving without due care and attention, but was spared jail.

Ray Pentney with the shrine to his son Dale,

The forgiving Tonbridge father Ray, 69, had waited more than a year to discover the real circumstances surrounding his son's death, but maintained he did not want to see another family torn apart by the tragedy. He died on Tuesday just before Smith was due to appear in court.

Speaking in January, he said: "We have lost Dale. That is enough. I don't think prison is appropriate. If they send him to prison it is not going to bring Dale back.

"He's not a criminal as such, it was a fluke accident and we all make mistakes. Smith was given a 12-week suspended sentence, and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Daily Record